Covert racial stereotyping within American commentary during the 2006 World Cup

The aims of this study were to investigate the language of American commentators during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and to analyze whether the language used differed according to the race of the athletes. The question which directed the research asked whether the language used by commentators would portray athletes differently, with regard to physical and psychological descriptions, across racial categories.; The methodology was composed of both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Positive and negative comments, (physical and psychological) concerning each racial group were recorded and analyzed using Chi-square analyses. All four racial groups (African, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian) were described in positive terms more often than negative. Content and discourse analysis were also utilized, and evidence of covert racial stereotyping was found.